Historical Significance: Smith & Nephew was a pharmaceutical company in UK formed in 1856 by Thomas Smith. Smith & Nephew Associated Companies (SANAC) was formed in 1957 and was involved in rigid contact lens manufacture and solution distribution in UK. S&N purchased Obrig UK in 1970 in preparation for entry into the soft contact lens market. In 1971 in a joint venture with Hydron. Hydron made the lens buttons and S&N lathe cut the lenses. In 1974 S&N and Hydron split with S&N continuing to produce lathe cut lenses.